A territorial army soldier from Coventry has revealed details of a top secret and highly dangerous mission to transport a huge amount of cash in war-torn Iraq.

Judy Dunn, 33, who normally works as a banker for Lloyds TSB, is a soldier from the city's 96 Signals Squadron.

While in Basra earlier this year, she was called upon for a daring mission to get financial aid out to workers in the ravaged occupied southern city.

Judy explained: "In one particularly unstable period in Basra, we were under a movement lockdown but we still needed to find a way to transport $1million to be distributed among the workers.

"It transpired that the only way to do this would be up the Shatt al Arab river running alongside Basra Palace.

"So there we were in small boats carrying $1million cash in dustbin bags up a river in a war zone - it was a very surreal experience."

She explained: "All the banking infrastructure in Iraq had been destroyed, so all transactions took place in cash. It was therefore a regular occurrence to be dealing with huge quantities of cash, which, of course, presents a massive security risk."

Judy this week flew back to Iraq as a civilian to work with the Coalition Provisional Authority in the banking and finance team.

Before being recruited to the CPA, she was initially attached to the 209 Signals Regiment as part of a vehicle maintenance team. Due to heavy fighting in the second city, and a general increase in threat to fellow officers, she was also temporarily placed on guard duty.

She said: "The guard duty was a gruelling post. Having to wear full body armour, webbing and helmet in the unbelievably hot conditions was seriously draining.

"There was no air conditioning and even on the breaks the chance of sleep was very limited and I became very familiar with the sound of the call to prayer at regular intervals throughout both night and day.

"I think TA soldiers get the best of both worlds by mixing their career with a great level of life experience and excitement."